UltiMAK M8 Optic Mount on an SEI barrel

[H2O MAN]

SEI's barrels for the M14 don't begin to taper down as soon as other M14/M1A barrels and this
makes it impossible to install the M8 Optic Mount from UltiMAK without modification to the mount.

When I discovered this issue I contacted Lyle over at UltiMAK and he offered to modify one of my M8
mounts as a special favor to me. I shipped off the mount and a spare SEI barrel I had laying around.

Please note: the M8 is designed to fit standard weight/profile barrels only.

Success. I have the M8 hogged out and fitting properly to the barrel with clearance behind the rear clamp. All I have to do now is clean up the burrs and such. I might try some Aluma-black where the mount is bare underneath. There is now a roughly quarter-inch oblong hole on each side, where the rail undercut goes into a radius and the rail disappears. That will not affect the mounting or performance of the piece. I’d use it myself in a heartbeat. And it looks pretty cool.

Initial cuts were done with a ball end mill, then I used a fit-and-try process using black die and a Dremel sanding drum. Compared to cosmetic metal-to-wood inletting for the rifle I’m building, this was cake.

Here are some pictures to help other SEI barrel users perform this modification to their own M8 mount.
Lyle is not and will not be offering this service and SEI will not change their barrels - my modified M8 is unique.

A special thank you goes out to Lyle and UltiMAK



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[Satain]

As far as I know only 3 barrels existing here in Canada that were made from S.E.I.
Unfortunately Ron won't sell his barrels to any of your northern brother's so I don't see to many of us running into these issue's. But the real thing that intrigues me is...
Is this a medium contour S.E.I. barrel or a heavy contour S.E.I. barrel that required you to mod you M8 rail?

 

[H2O MAN]

But the real thing that intrigues me is...
Is this a medium contour S.E.I. barrel or a heavy contour S.E.I. barrel that required you to mod you M8 rail?

It is a chrome lined 18.0" standard weight S.E.I. barrel.